Unclean Hands
by darklittleobsession
Summary: The Na'vi and the humans had been on the same planet for a few years. Now they're at war. Who made the first move?


The air was still, not a single breath of wind past. A single viperwolf paced through the bushes. Tsu'na tightened her bow string, waiting. The viperwolf turned her head. An opening! She drew back her bow, aiming her arrow silently.

'That is enough!' Tsu'tey said suddenly. The viperwolf started and ran off.

Slightly disappointed, Tsu'na turned and faced her mentor. His face bore an irritated frown. What mistake had she made this time?

'You are too eager to make the kill,' he growled, 'patience is what you must learn.'

'The People need food, do they not?' said Tsu'na.

'Yes, they do. But you must respect the forest.' Tsu'tey hit her sharply on the side of the head. 'Go back home and make more arrows.'

Tsu'na nodded and ran back in the direction of Home Tree. She was used to this by now. One single thing done wrong meant a long, solitary job. Tsu'na respected Tsu'tey very much, but he seemed too harsh and aggressive. Also, he didn't really even want to train her. It was just because Tsu'tey and her father were good friends.

Now Silwanin would have been a good mentor. True, she wasn't as strong as Tsu'tey, but she was kind and understood Tsu'na's eagerness to help the Omaticaya. Lately though, she had been spending more time at the new school. Tsu'tey wouldn't let Tsu'na near the school, so she never got much time to be with Silwanin.

Suddenly, there was a roar overhead and one of the Sky Peoples' metal birds passed by. Tsu'na hissed at it even though it couldn't possibly hear her. She didn't like the noise they made, or the Sky People who shot fire stone at them. The ones that examined the trees were alright, as long as they weren't hurting the forest.

Tsu'na leaped over to an overhanging tree root. Looking down she saw the trail that lead to the school, she could hear laughter coming from that direction. She longed to talk to Silwanin, yet Tsu'tey would be mad if she didn't heed his orders.

With a growl of frustration, Tsu'na continued on her way. There were a lot of arrows to make.

xxx

'Are you finished?' Tsu'tey asked, coming up behind Tsu'na. Many arrows were piled neatly beside her.

'Nearly,' she answered, not looking up from her work.

There was a silence for some minutes, and then Tsu'tey crouched down beside his student. 'Do you know now, why I would not let you shoot?' he asked.

Tsu'na nodded.

'Why?' Tsu'tey asked, watching closely.

'She was nursing pups, I remember her stomach. If I had killed her I would have also killed the pups, and they did not need to die.'

'Yes, very good,' Tsu'tey said. 'You must carefully watch the creatures and See if their death would cause more harm than needed.'

She nodded again, still fletching the arrows.

'I See trouble in you,' Tsu'tey whispered quietly. 'What presses your mind?'

Tsu'na took a shaking breath and spoke. 'I wish to go to the school, Tsu'tey. Silwanin is there and I wish to talk to her.'

The deputy chief exhaled sharply through his nose. 'You know that I don't wish you to go there…'

'I know,' Tsu'na said quickly, 'but my yearning to talk with her may cloud my ability to See if this is to continue. Please, Tsu'tey, one time is all I ask.'

Tsu'tey looked into Tsu'na's face and he knew she told the truth. 'You may go,' he sighed finally, 'but only if Neytiri goes with you.'

Tsu'na's amber eyes lit up with joy. 'Oh, thank you, Tsu'tey! May Eywa bless you!'

With that, Tsu'na ran off in search of Neytiri.

xxx

'Now remember, Tsu'na, Grace speaks in a different tongue. But she will speak in the tongue of the People if you wish.' Neytiri smiled down at the young huntress.

Tsu'na just nodded.

For many long minutes the two Omaticaya walked down the path. With each step, Tsu'na became more excited yet more frightened. She had never met this Grace Augustine of Earth before. However, Neytiri and Silwanin respected the teacher very much.

'We have arrived,' said Neytiri.

Tsu'na looked up as they rounded the corner. It was a peaceful clearing; in the very center was a small square building. She could hear laughter and talking from inside. As they approached, two people came out.

'Silwanin!' cried Tsu'na, running forward to greet her friend. 'Silwanin, I See you.' She hugged her tightly.

'Tsu'na, what are you doing here?' Silwanin asked, laughing at the sight of the little huntress. 'I thought Tsu'tey did not wish you to come here.'

'Tsu'tey let me come so that I could talk with you,' Tsu'na looked up at Silwanin. She was a head taller than her, but it never felt like that. That was why Tsu'na loved Silwanin so much.

Tsu'na started to speak again, but then she saw who was behind Silwanin. I wasn't one of the People, yet it wasn't a Sky Person either. The stranger smiled at Tsu'na in a friendly matter. 'Hello, my name is Grace Augustine. I run this school.' Tsu'na swallowed and stepped further behind Silwanin.

'You speak our tongue…' she said quietly.

'Yes, I do.' Grace laughed.

'But you are not truly one of the People…'

'Tsu'na, stop!' Silwanin scolded. She turned to Grace and spoke in English. 'I apologize, Grace. Tsu'na is Tsu'tey's student and he is uncomfortable with the school. He has passed his doubts to our young hunter.'

Grace shook her head. 'It's alright, Silwanin.' The Avatar walked back into the school, Neytiri followed. Once they were gone, Tsu'na turned to Silwanin.

'I wish to speak with you-'she began.

'Yes, I know,' Silwanin said gently, 'what troubles your young mind?'

Tsu'na talked for many minutes. She spoke of the Sky People and how Tsu'tey didn't really want to teach her. The young huntress even told her friend how she had felt about Silwanin spending so much time at the school.

'Peace, Tsu'na,' Silwanin said as she finished. 'Tsu'tey does wish to teach you the way of the People, I am sire. He's just agitated, like the Palulukan. Tsu'tey would never be cruel to anyone,' she added. She patted Tsu'na's shoulder in a comforting way.

'As for me going to the school, I promise I won't make you wait longer then needed for us to talk.' Silwanin gave Tsu'na a final hug. 'Now off with you, or Tsu'tey will have both our tails.'

Tsu'na smiled up at Silwanin, and then ran off down the path. Just before she disappeared from view, she looked back and gave a single wave. Then she was gone.

xxx

That night, a dream came to Tsu'na. She was standing in a dark forest, no light came from anywhere. There were noises everywhere, yet they seemed disconnected and far off. Breathing slowly, Tsu'na looked down at her hands and screamed. They were covered in filth, but as she tried to brush away the strange dirt she realised something. It was a part of her, not just on her. Suddenly a tree began to fall close by and Tsu'na awoke with a start.

Minutes later, she found herself next to Mo 'at by her fire. The huntress hoped that the tsahik would help her troubled mind.

'What do you want, child?' Mo 'at said without turning away from the flames.

'Mo 'at, please help me. I believe Eywa wishes to tell me something.' Tsu'na retold her dream to the shaman, all the time hoping for answers.

When Tsu'na's tale was done, Mo 'at turned around and spoke. 'From what you have told me, my child, I believe that Eywa wishes you to find the answer on your own.'

'But, tsahik-'Tsu'na began.

'No, young one, go now.' Mo 'at said it gently, but it was obvious that the discussion was over.

Tsu'na bowed and left without further complaint. When she was out of sight, Mo 'at spoke out loud to the darkness. 'May she discover it before it come. I pray to Eywa.'

xxx

Feet light and quick, Tsu'na ran along a high tree root. She leapt into the air and swung on an overhanging branch. Her landing was silent and steady; absolutely flawless.

'You need more speed,' Tsu'tey said, coming up behind her. 'With speed you can run right after you land.'

With a nod she tried again, and again, and again. Each time, Tsu'tey either criticised her form or other things. Tsu'na's hands were nearly bleeding when Tsu'tey told her to stop.

'Go and hunt,' he said.

Tsu'na gave her mentor a confused look. 'I thought that I wasn't allowed to hunt yet?'

For the first time, Tsu'tey smiled. 'Very good,' her grinned, 'you now know that the forest has not given you permission.' He tousled her hair gently. 'Go track the creatures instead.'

Grinning slightly, Tsu'na moved swiftly into the trees. Tsu'tey's attitude had really changed in the past few days. Maybe Silwanin or Neytiri had spoken to him, either way; at least Tsu'tey wasn't that cold to her anymore.

Half the day past and Tsu'na still tracked and examined the creatures of the forest. She followed prolemuris and viper wolves like shadows without them knowing it. Even toruk would have had trouble finding her. It was almost time to head back, she told herself to finish following one last deer. She turned her back on the grassing beast for a moment…

Rock and fire burst through the trees, the deer fell to the ground dead. Sky People burst through the trees, some walking some driving giant metal beasts that crushed the ground before it. They shouted to each other, their alien language harsh on her ears. Sky People… Disgusting…

Rage beyond measure exploded in Tsu'na's mind. What made her mind _and_ heart want to charge forward? They killed innocent creatures. Anything they touched died. Screaming a battle cry, Tsu'na shot arrow after arrow at the Sky People. One by one they fell to the ground; the aliens that weren't hit shot fire in all directions. The last of Tsu'na's arrows were spent, but anger still pounded through her veins. Knife in hand, she charged right at the enemy.

Blood smeared everywhere; the weapons of the Sky People hurt her ears. Suddenly, pain shot across her shoulder and side. Her knife slipped. She was completely unarmed. Looking up she saw a Sky Person pointing their cruel weapon right at her.

The pain was unbearable; all she could do was hiss angrily at him.

He shouted something in his own language, Tsu'na hissed again. Next thing she knew, Tsu'tey was dragging her through the forest, and he ran as though armies were after him.

They were miles away from the Sky People when they finally stopped. Tsu'na fell to the ground panting and bleeding. It was a surprise to her when she realised she was crying.

'Sxkawn!' Tsu'tey yelled. 'Do you realise what you have done? All I said was to track! Now… You may have started a war!' Exclaiming in frustration, he paced the ground. 'If anyone else dies from this it will be their blood on your hands,' he growled.

Tsu'na, still crying, remembered her dream. 'My hands are already unclean then,' she said.

The young hunter continued to cry. Her mentor stood over her, silent and dark. Just like the cloud of war that was soon to come.


End file.
